This invention relates to games and toys, and is more particularly concerned with games and toys in which individual pieces make up crosswords or number games.
A number of different crossword games are known in the prior art. One of the more well known of these prior art games comprises a multiplicity of rectangular tiles, each having a respective letter of the alphabet on one face. This well known game also comprises a rectangular board divided into squares whose size corresponds to that of the tiles, these squares forming a rectangular grid. During play, the lettered tiles are laid out on the squares on the board, to make up words which intersect each other to form a crossword.
In this particular well known crossword game, the individual tiles are flat, and can therefore move about on the board if the board is jogged, thus creating confusion as to where they were originally laid. Also, each player needs to be provided with a tile rest, which supports the tiles so that they face the player who has received them, while concealing them from the other players. The game thus requires various extra components in addition to the tiles themselves, namely the board and the tile rests.
A number of different constructional toys also exist in the prior art, such toys typically comprising generally rectangular brick-like building elements which can be connected together to build a variety of two and three dimensional structures. A particularly advantageous example of such a constructional toy is described in United Kingdom Patent No. 2,302,662.
It is an object of the present invention to provided a novel game or toy which in its preferred implementations overcomes some of the drawbacks of the well known prior art crossword game.
According to the present invention, there is provided a game or toy comprising a plurality of rectangular elements each having a substantially square upper face and a substantially square lower face interconnected by four rectangular side faces, the upper face having an alphanumeric character thereon, the side faces being dimensioned so that the element is free-standing on any one of them, two adjacent side faces having projecting connecting means formed thereon, and the other two adjacent side faces having recessed connecting means shaped to receive and retain the projecting connecting means of another such element, whereby the elements can be joined together side face to side face in two mutually perpendicular directions to form a crossword or a number game, in dependence upon whether said alphanumeric characters are letters or numbers, said connecting means being adapted for tight frictional engagement such that large assemblies of joined-together elements can be picked up and moved without said elements becoming disengaged.
It will be appreciated that because the elements are free-standing on their side faces, and can be joined together side face to side face, no other components (a board, element rests) are required when the elements are used to play a crossword or number game, and there is therefore no limit (other than the number of elements available) to the size of the crossword or number game that can be formed. Additionally, because the connecting means are formed as integral parts of the elements themselves, the game or toy of the present invention is safe for use in homes, schools or other premises where very young children may be present. And in the limit, the elements can if desired be used to build two dimensional structures similar to some of those which can be built with the constructional toy of United Kingdom Patent No. 2,302,662, or, if appropriately shaped and dimensioned, can be used in combination with the building blocks of that constructional toy.
In a preferred implementation of the invention, each connecting means extends substantially perpendicularly to the upper and lower faces of the element along the middle of its side face. In this case, the projecting connecting means preferably has a cross sectional shape like that of a bisected star having 2N equiangularly spaced points, where N is at least 2, i.e. a form corresponding to the portion of one of the star shaped connecting elements of United Kingdom Patent No. 2,302,662 which projects from the mouth of its groove in a main element of that patent, while the recessed connecting means preferably comprises a complementarily-shaped groove, i.e. like those in the main elements of that patent.
More generally, the recessed connecting means comprises a groove shaped to receive and entrap the projecting connecting means.
Preferably, the elements are all hollow, with said lower face open.
The alphanumeric characters may be printed on the upper faces of their respective elements. Alternatively and preferably, the alphanumeric characters are moulded into or onto the upper faces of their respective elements.
The game or toy advantageously also includes auxiliary connecting elements adapted to co-operate with the recessed connecting means of the rectangular elements so as to connect together two rectangular elements with their upper faces at right angles to each other, whereby said crossword or number game can be played in three dimensions.
Advantageously, each auxiliary connecting element comprises first and second elongate members each having a cross sectional shape substantially identical to that of the projecting connecting means of the rectangular elements, said members each having a flat side and being integrally joined together at right angles to each other and at the respective midpoints of their respective flat sides.
Conveniently, all the elements are moulded in a suitable plastics material, such as ABS, acrylic plastic, polystyrene or polypropylene.